Boeing announces major layoff plan

Fierce competitive pressure is forcing Boeing Commercial Air pla nes into a new cost- cutti ng push t hat will include layoffs, Chief Executive Ray Conner announced at a senior leadership meeting Wednesday morning and in a webcast to all employees.

No details were given on the timing or scale of the job cuts, but the tone of the announcement suggests a significant impact across BCA.

“We will start reducing employment levels beginning with executives and managers first,” said company spokesman Doug Alder. “We will also use attrition and voluntary layoffs. As a last resort, involuntary layoffs may be necessary.”

“The overall employment impact will depend on how effectively we bring down costs as a whole,” Alder added.

As of Jan. 1, Boeing employment in Washington state stood at 79,238. record revenue for the quarter of $4.83 billion and earnings per share of 46 cents.

Thomson Reuters analysts had projected earnings per share of 40 cents and $4.81 billion in revenues. Ahead of Wednesday’s report, shares in Whole Foods closed down 19 cents or less than 1 percent to $28.87. In early after-hours trading, the stock was up $1.40 or 5 percent, to $30.27. try. The agreement with Zipline Inc. was signed Tuesday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

Keller R inaudo, Zipline’s chief executive, said the unmanned aircraft will make deliveries to rural health facilities for less than it would cost to make the same deliveries by motorbike. Zipline will begin by setting up three drone ports in Rwanda. Zipline will also supply the drones and test flights are to start in August. The cost of the ports and drones were not made public